The Theodore Burr Covered Bridge
Society of Pennsylvania, Inc.
59th Anniversary Dinner and
Monthly Meeting
Dutch-Way Farm Market Restaurant
Sunday, May 5, 2018
President Tom Walczak
called the meeting to order at 1:07 p.m..
He welcomed everyone to our 59th Anniversary Dinner asking
that we remember those who worked to preserve bridges that have gone before us.
NEW
MEMBERS AND GUESTS: New member Christine Weaver from Lancaster
Visitor Center introduced herself.
APPROVAL
OF MINUTES – Tom
reminded everyone the minutes were available for review and he will ask for
approval later in the meeting.
TREASURER’S
REPORT: We have one new member, Robert Miller of
Whitehall PA from Ray Finkelstein. We
have 391 members renewed for 2017-2018, 10 more than one year ago.
Tom thanked Bob and
Judy Kuether for organizing today’s event.
MEMBERS’
REPORTS:
Mike Rudnick visited Humpback (VA-03-01). It looks great!
Joe McCarthy was in the Adirondacks for a
project. While heading from there to
Blenheim he came across Salisbury Center (NY-22-01). He reported that a BBC film crew was on site
at Blenheim. The bridge was to be moved
the next day across the river. It will
be jacked up on roller plates then lowered down. The last steps will be adding the roofing and
siding. It will be the longest covered bridge
in the world. Joe stopped by Rapp’s Dam
(PA-15-14) which has been hit again and examined it. There is no structural damage. A local carpenter fixed it. He also stopped by Speakman #1 (PA-15-05)
where he found black spray painted graffiti throughout the inside of the bridge. It will be sanded off. The bid to rebuild Neff’s Mill (PA-36-22 #2)
went to a local company. It will be
taken down completely and rebuilt.
OFFICERS’
REPORTS:
President Tom
Walczak had no bridge
report. He saw a couple PA bridges from
a distance on the ride in today.
First Vice President Jim Smedley – No bridge report.
The deadline
for PA Crossings is Sunday June 10th.
Second
Vice President Ray Finkelstein
and Linda visited several bridges in Georgia.
Their first stop was Elder’s Mill (GA-108-01) in Oconee County, then Big
Clouds Creek (GA-109-01) in Oglethorpe County, Watson Mill (GA-97-01/109-02) an
inter county bridge from Madison to Oglethorpe counties, then Comer’s Mill (GA-59-01)
in Franklin County. Watson’s Mill was
nice and in very good shape. They
intended to see more Georgia bridges but the weather didn’t cooperate so they
moved on to South Carolina where they saw Campbell Bridge (SC-23-02) in
Greenville County. About the time they
got there the rain had stopped but there was a crowd of people arriving to have
graduation pictures taken at the bridge.
In March, they had friends visit from Maine and took them to see all the
Lehigh Valley bridges. Ray had a great
time at the Annual Community Night in Macungie.
Hopefully we will pick up a new member from that event.
Third Vice President Steve Wolfhope had no bridge report. He took his SPCBW display to the Valley Forge
Welcome Center for Tourism Week. They
won’t allow it to remain up for SPCBW.
Fourth
Vice President Tim McLaughlin
was not present but sent his report to Jim Smedley to read today. Tim and Connie traveled to State College for
the graduation ceremony of Tim’s nephew taking a route to bridges that took 11
hours to get there instead of 3 because they wanted to visit some bridges. On the way they stopped by Dellville Bridge
(PA-50-16) but not much was happening there.
There were lots of piles of new wood on the ground. Rice’s Bridge (PA-50-10) looked real nice
with a deep rich red color. Waggoner’s
(PA-50-15) had a large chain from the bottom of the bridge to a tree
stump. Ramp’s Bridge (PA-21-11) could
use a fresh coat of paint. Martin’s Mill
PA-28-01) looked good and its trusses were painted tan. Witherspoon (PA-28-02) is in excellent shape,
looks freshly painted. Hewitt (PA-05-26)
is in nice condition with very nice stone work.
Palo Alto (PA-05-21) had a couple of American flags hanging from the
portal.
Historian Fred J. Moll thanked everyone for the get well cards.
They meant a lot to him. He visited the
five Berks County covered bridges. Pleasantville
(PA-06-01) - the bridge seems in
good shape, but both height restriction devices apparently were hit. They are being propped up temporarily until
they can be fixed. Griesemer’s
Mill (PA-06-03) -the paint that we painted the bridge with five years ago
is holding up well except for one or two small areas but the bridge still has
its bright red appearance. The roof could be painted. Kutz Mill
(PA-06-05) is in fairly good
shape. Dreibelbis Station (PA- 06-07)
is in bad shape. There is a giant pot
hole right before you enter the bridge from route 143. The work is open for bid with a due date of
October 4, 2018. The estimated cost of
construction $2,204,000. Wertz (PA-06-06)
is in good shape.
Recording Secretary Gloria Smedley- No report.
Corresponding Secretary/Program Chair
Pam Heisey – No
report.
Treasurer Robert Kuether visited two bridges in Columbia County
last month with the painter to get estimates on cost to paint them – Davis (PA-19-16)
and Snyder (PA-19-14). Davis needs
painting entirely but Snyder just needs the portals painted. The cost to paint both is about $3,500. A motion was made and seconded and it was unanimously
approved to paint both bridges.
Bob and Judy also went to Altoona to
pick up a donation for the society, to Greene County, Claysville Welcome
Center, Tioga Welcome Center and Lancaster Visitors Center to put up displays
for SPCBW.
REPORTS
OF ILLNESSES OR DEATHS – Former
member Dick Leich passed away.
OLD
BUSINESS – Bob talked about donating $1,000 to the
painting of Stillwater (PA-19-21) in Columbia County as they didn’t get one of
the grants they had applied for. A
motion was made and seconded and unanimously approved.
NEW
BUSINESS – May 12-20
is See Pennsylvania’s Covered Bridges Week.
Tom was able to get the proclamation corrected and asked Jim Smedley to
read it to the group. Christine Weaver
from Lancaster Visitors Center explained their discount coupon books while Bob
passed them out to everyone.
The 2019 calendars are available for
sale today.
Bob Kuether announced that we have
received official approval for state tax exemption.
Tom made a presentation to Fred Moll
for his 50 years of membership, service and dedication to the preservation of
covered bridges. Fred was given a Life
Membership and a plaque which was an Award of Appreciation for his 50 years of
service and membership. Fred was
speechless and very grateful.
NEW
COVERED BRIDGE ITEM - None
APPROVAL OF MINUTES – April minutes were approved as
presented.
Door
prizes and raffles were awarded.
ADJOURNMENT - The meeting was adjourned at 2:04.
NEXT MEETING - Our Next Meeting will be held during
the safari, on June 8th, in the lobby of the Fairfield Inn in Ohio.
Respectfully
Submitted by Gloria Smedley, Recording Secretary
May
10, 2018